Multi-material golf club head

Abstract

A multi-material golf club head having an improved performance is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a multi-material golf club head having a metallic frontal portion and a lightweight aft portion with an addition of an internal ribbon support member. The lightweight aft portion could be formed of a multi-layered sandwich material with at least one layer having low damping properties. The lightweight aft portion may be formed out of a lightweight crown sub-shell and a lightweight sole sub-shell, both of which combine to receive a weighting system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a frontal striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; and   an aft body portion, attached to the rear of said striking face portion;   wherein the aft body portion further comprises a lightweight shell,   wherein said lightweight shell further comprises,
 a lightweight crown sub-shell, and 
 a lightweight sole sub-shell, 
 wherein a said lightweight crown sub-shell and said lightweight sole sub-shell are joined together via a lap joint, 
 wherein said lap joint is located away from a skirt portion of said golf club head. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said skirt portion is located at a geometric pinch point of said golf club head. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said lap joint is located below said geometric pinch point of said golf club head. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said lightweight crown sub-shell forms an internal wall of said lap joint. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of said  claim 4 , wherein said lightweight sole sub-shell forms an external wall of said lap joint. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said lightweight crown sub-shell has a first thickness, said lightweight sole sub-shell has a second thickness, and
 wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a greater thickness forms an external wall of said lap joint.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a lesser thickness forms an internal wall of said lap joint. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said lightweight crown sub-shell further comprises a crown recessed skirt and said lightweight sole sub-shell further comprises a sole recessed skirt,
 wherein said crown recessed skirt and said sole recessed skirt combine to create a recessed skirt,   wherein said golf club head further comprises a weighting system sandwiching both an internal surface and an external surface of said recessed skirt.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein said weighting system further comprises;
 an internal weight housing,   an external weight housing, and   a high density weight,   wherein said external surface of said internal weight housing mates with said internal surface of said recessed skirt,   wherein said internal surface of said external weight housing mates with said external surface of said recessed skirt.   
     
     
         10 . A golf club head comprising: a frontal striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; and
 an aft body portion, attached to the rear of said striking face portion;   wherein the aft body portion further comprises a lightweight shell,   wherein said lightweight shell further comprises,
 a lightweight crown sub-shell having a crown recessed skirt, and 
 a lightweight sole sub-shell having a sole recessed skirt, 
 wherein said crown recessed skirt and said sole recessed skirt combine to form a recessed skirt of said golf club head, and 
   a weighting system attached to said recessed skirt.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said weighting system further comprises;
 an internal weight housing,   an external weight housing, and   a high density weight,   wherein said external surface of said internal weight housing mates with an internal surface of said recessed skirt,   wherein said internal surface of said external weight housing mates with an external surface of said recessed skirt.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of said external weight housing directly engages said internal weight housing. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , further comprises;
 an adhesive adapted to bond said internal weight housing, an external weight housing, and said recessed skirt to one another.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said external weight housing further comprises a female threaded receptacle adapted to engage a male threaded protrusion of said high density weight. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein a said lightweight crown sub-shell and said lightweight sole sub-shell are joined together via a lap joint, and
 wherein said lap joint is located away from a geometric pinch point of said golf club head.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein said lightweight crown sub-shell has a first thickness, said lightweight sole sub-shell has a second thickness, and
 wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a greater thickness forms an external wall of said lap joint.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a lesser thickness forms an internal wall of said lap joint. 
     
     
         18 . A golf club head comprising:
 a frontal striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; and   an aft body portion, attached to the rear of said striking face portion;   wherein the frontal striking face portion and said aft body portion are joined via a first lap joint,
 wherein said frontal striking face portion forms an external surface of said first lap joint and said aft body portion forms an internal surface of said first lap joint, 
   wherein the aft body portion further comprises a lightweight shell,   wherein said lightweight shell further comprises,
 a lightweight crown sub-shell having a crown recessed skirt, and 
 a lightweight sole sub-shell having a sole recessed skirt, 
 wherein a said lightweight crown sub-shell and said lightweight sole sub-shell are joined together via a second lap joint, 
 wherein said second lap joint is located away from a skirt portion of said golf club head. 
 wherein said crown recessed skirt and said sole recessed skirt combine to form a recessed skirt of said golf club head, and 
   a weighting system attached to said recessed skirt.   
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein said lightweight crown sub-shell has a first thickness, said lightweight sole sub-shell has a second thickness, and
 wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a greater thickness forms an external wall of said lap joint.   
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein a portion of said lightweight shell having a lesser thickness forms an internal wall of said lap joint.